Cabinet having inner shelving unit movable downwardly therefrom and operating means therefor



1947- F. P. MURPHY 2,429,523

- CABINET HAVING INNER SHELVING UNIT MOVABLE DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM ANDOPERATING MEANS THEREFOR Filed June 26, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet l IN V ENTOR. F/m/v/r I? MURPHY.

fl TTORNEY.

21, 194.7. F. P. MURPHY 2,429,523

CABINET HAVING INNER SHELVING UNIT MOVABLE DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM A NDOPERATING MEANS THEREFOR Filed June 26, 1943 s Sheets-Sheet 2 E] 2 i 5 Aa I l v I 'I ll/ INVENTOR.

U FRANK P. MURPH). W25 h gy 37 Oct. 21, 1947 F, p, MURPHY 2,429,523

CABINET HAVING INNER SHELVING UNIT MOVABLE DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM ANDOPERATING MEANS THEREFOR Filed June 26, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IINVENTOR.

FRANK P MURPHY.

HTTOR/VEY.

Patente d Oct. 21, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CABINET HAVING INNERSHELVING UNIT MOVABLE DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM AND OPERATING MEANS THEREFOR11 Claims.

My present invention relates to cabinets and more particularly tocabinets which have a plurality of shelves therein and which are usuallyinstalled in a high position wherein the upper shelves cannot be easilyreached.

The primary object of my invention is to provide such a cabinet in whichthe shelves may be lowered to a position wherein the upper shelves canbe easily reached, and then raised to their normal position,

A still further object of my invention is to provide, for such cabinets,a mechanism to lower and raise the shelves in the cabinet and which ispreferably operated by pressure and controlled by simple push buttonmeans.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be more clearlyunderstood from the following description and from the accompanyingdrawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan view in section on line l--l of Fig.2.

Fig. 2 is a front view, in central vertical section, of a, cabinetembodying the present invention, with the inner unit shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a side view thereof on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental view in vertical section on line 44 of Fig. 2showing the operating mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a view in central vertical section of the check valve.

Fig. 6 is a front view showing a plurality of cabinets operated by amodified form of my invention; one of said cabinets being shown partlyin section.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary view with a part of the mechanism used therein.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view illustrating the latch mechanism embodiedin my invention.

Fig. 9 is a view in central vertical section showing the combined valveand switch mechanism.

Fi 10 is a view in central vertical section of the by-pass valve shownin Fig. 7 and with the latch member connected thereto.

Fig. 11 is a front view partly broken away and illustrating a furthermodified form of my invention.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the mechanism used inthe modified form in Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a view in central vertical section showing the control valvesand mechanism used in said modified form of the invention.

Fig. 14 is an elevational front view, showing the inner unit in loweredposition.

As illustrated in the drawings, a cabinet comprising this invention mayinclude an outer casing 5 having side walls 6-6, a rear wall 1, frontwall portions 88 and doors 9-4! mounted thereon by means of hinges |0lll.

The interior of said outer cabinet is provided with guide bars llbetween which is slidably mounted an inner unit l2 containing aplurality of shelves I3, a top l4, and a bottom l5 between side wallmembers IBI6, and a back Wall l2a. The outer casing 5 is also providedwith an opening IT in the bottom I8 thereof through which the inner unitI2 is raised or lowered between the guides I I.

Stop bars |9l9 are provided at each side of the inner unit I2, and nearthe bottom thereof, to locate the inner unit within the outer casing 5and also to seal the opening I! when the inner unit is in its normalposition.

In the embodiment of my invention as shown in Figs. 1 to 5 of thedrawings, the operating mechanism may comprise hydraulic means whichinclude a pump member 2| that is mounted at one side of the cabinet,between the outer casing 6 and the inner unit l2, and upon the floor [8of the outer casing. The said pump has a plunger 22 which is connectedto a bracket 23 that is secured to the side of the inner member.

An oil pump 24 is connected by an oil pipe 25, through a check valve25a, to the bottom of the pump member 2l as at 26. Oil is supplied tothe pump 24 from an oil reservoir 21 which is conngcted to the said pumpby means of an oil pipe 2 The said pump 24 is operated by means of anelectric motor 29, through a chain and pulley connection 30, and theoperation of said motor is controlled by means of an electric switch,indicated at 3! and which is preferably controlled by means of a pushbutton 32. The said switch is connected in series with said motor in anelectric circuit including a source of electric energy 33, a conductor34 leading directly to the motor and another conductor 35 leadingthrough the switch 3! to said motor.

A release valve 36 is provided in the oil pipe 25 and is connected tothe reservoir 21 by means of an oil pipe 31. The said release valve isretained in seated position by a spring 36-a and controlled by means ofa push button 38 which is provided for the purpose to be hereinafterdescribed.

In order to prevent cramping action between the inner unit 2| and theguides H, during the movement of said inner unit, I provide an equaliz-3 ing mechanism which may consist of a cable 39 that is attached at oneside of the inner member E? by means of a bracket 40 and extended arounda pulley H secured to the side of the outer casing, around the pulleysE2 and 43 secured to the top of said outer casing, and is connected toanother bracket/l4 at the opposite side of the inner unit by means of anadjustable screw eye 45. The said screw eye is adjustable in the bracketM by means of a nut 36 to apply proper tension to the cable 39 andthereby balance the inner unit if so that it will slide easily betweenthe guides When it is desired to raise the inner member E2 to theposition illustrated in the drawings, the button 3'2 is pressedinwardly. This will close the electric circuit to the motor 29 and causethe operation thereof to drive the pump 24. The saidpump 25. will thenpump oil from the reservoir 2'? through the check valve 25a and the oilpipe 25, into the lower end of the pump member 2|. The pressure providedby said oil will cause a piston within the pump member 2| to raise theplunger 22 and therewith raise the inner unit |2 with the shelves |3therein to the position illustrated in the drawings. During the saidoperation, the end of the cable 39, Which is secured to the bracket M,will move upwardly with the member I2 and apply a lifting action to theopposite end of the cable whichis secured to the bracket 4%. This willcause the opposite side of the unit i2 to be also pulled upwardly with apull that is equal to the lifting action applied to the plunger 22 untilthe said unit 12 has reached its uppermost position.

When it is desired to lower the inner unit l2 so that the shelves l3 maybe, easily reached from the exterior of the cabinet, the button 38 ispressed inwardly. This will cause the release valve 36 to open andpermit the. oil, which is under pressure in the pump 2|, to be releasedand flow back through the pipe 31 into the reservoir 2?; therebypermitting the piston in the pump 2| and theplungerfiZZ to movedownwardly into said cylinder and thereby lower the inner unit throughthe opening When it is desired to again raise the inner unit to itsuppermost position, the button 32 is again pressed and the operationabove described, for raising the inner unit, will be repeated.

From the .above description it will be under stood that I have provideda novel cabinet including a mechanism by means of which the shelves ofthe cabinet may be raised or lowered by simply pressing a button attheexterior of the cabinet; thereby permitting the upper shelves to bebroughtwithin reach of a person standing on the floor. It will be alsounderstood that the appearance of the outside of the cabinet will be thesame as any ordinary kitchen cabinet and that the doors Sl will operatein the same manner as in ordinary cabinets. Further, it will be notedthat the uppermost portion of the inner member i2 may extend above thetop of the doors since the top shelf will be entirely exposed throughthe doors, when it is lowered, and thereby rendered fully accessible.

In the modified form of my invention, as illustrated in Figs. 6 to 10,the pumping unit, consisting of the motor 29, the pump 24 and thereservoir 2?, may be used as a central unit for operating each of aplurality of cabinets. In thisapplication ofthe invention, each cabinetmay include only the pump member 2|, the control valves, and an electricswitch. The said central pumping unit may be located at any convenientposition and connected to each of said cabinets by a series of pipes andan electric circuit as clearly illustrated in Fig. 6.

In this modified form, a separate valve 50, for each cabinet, isconnected to the pipe 25 and rendered operatable with the electricswitch 3 as will be hereinafter described.

If desired, a latch 5|, which is pivotally mounted on a bracket Eli-a,secured to a front wall portion may be employed for retaining the innerunit in its upper position; the inner unit l2 carrying a projection 52which engages a detent 53 near the top of the latch 5| when the saidinner unit is in its upper position. The said latch is connected to thepush button 38, on the release valve 36 to be operated thereby ashereinafter described.

A switch-holding latch 55, is operated by a bar 56 which is slidablyconnected to a bracket 56-a carried by the inner unit, in the manneralso to be hereinafter described, and the said latch may be provided forholding the switch button and automatically releasing it when the innerunit has reached its upper position.

In the operation of the modified form illustrated in Figs. 6 to l0,'whenit is desired to lower the inner unit of any one of the plurality ofcabinets connected to a central pumping unit, the button 33 is pressedinwardly. This will rock the latch 5| to release the detent 52 andpermit lowering of the inner unit l2. At the same time, the releasevalve 35 will be opened to release the oil in the pump 2|, permittingsaid oil to flow back through the pipe 31', the pump 24 and the pipe28', into the reservoir 21 and thereby causing the inner unit to belowered as above described.

When it is desired to again raise the inner unit, the button 32 ispressed inwardly. This will bring a suitable switch closing member, asat 51, against contacts 58; thus closing the electric switch 3|, and thecircuit to the motor 29, and thereby starting the operation of saidmotor for pumping oil from the reservoir 2? into the pump 2|. At thesame time that the said push button 32 is operated, the valve 59 willbe'opened, by means of the bar til connecting said valve with the pushbutton 32, and permit the oil to pass through said valve into the pump2| and thereby raise the inner unit.

moved back to its normal position, by means of the spring 62, whereinthe valve is again closed and the switch 3| is open.

It will be understood th'at withthe above described mechanism, it willnot be necessary to hold the push button 32 inwardly while the innerunit is being raised, since the latch will hold the said button untilthe inner unit has reached its upper position and then automaticallydisengage it to permit the valve to close and the switch 3| to open.Therefore, it is only necessary to press the button inwardly and therest of the raising operation will be automatically performed. Thelowering operation, however,- is controlled by continuing pressure onthe button 33 until the inner unit has been lowered to the positiondesired.

As illustrated in Figs. 11 to 13, my invention may also be embodied in amechanism wherein the raising and lowering of the inner unit isperformed by compressed air instead of by hydraulic means as abovedescribed. In this latter form, a central unit may be provided whichconsists of a motor 15, a compressor 16, and a pressure tank Tl in whichthe air is maintained at a desired pressure by means of an automaticpressure operated control switch 18 that is in series with the motor inan electric circuit I9.

The said modified form includes, for each cabinet, an air pump 30, avalve 8| controlled by the push button 32, and an air release valve 82controlled by the push button 38.

The operation of said modified form is as follows.

When it is desired to lower the inner unit, the push button 38 ispressed inwardly. This will release the detent 53 from the bracket 52and at the same time open the release valve 82. As the inner unit l2moves downwardly, the piston connected to the plunger 22 will compressair in the cylinder 80 and retard the downward movement of the innerunit according to th rate at which the said air is permitted to passthrough the valve-82. Thus, the said cylinder 80 will act as a cushionfor the downward movement of the inner unit.

When it is desired to again raise the inner unit to its upper position,the push button 32 is pressed inwardly. This will open the valve BI andcause air under pressure to enter the cylinder 80 and thereby raise theplunger 22 and the inner unit.

When the inner unit is in its lowered position,

the latch 55a will engage and retain the push button 32 inwardly andthus hold the valve 8| in its open position until the inner unit reachesits upper position and the bracket 56--a causes the latch 55a todisengage the push button 32. This permits the valve Bl to close afterthe inner unit has reached its uppermost position and the bracket 52 isagain in engagement with the detent 53 for supporting the inner unit inthe upper position.

I claim:

1. A cabinet of the character described including an outer casing, aninner unit, means for raising said inner unit relatively to said casing;said means including a pressure operated mechanism comprising anelectric motor for operating said mechanism, a valve for controlling thepressure, an electric switch for controlling said motor, single manuallyoperable means for operating said valve and switch, and means forreleasing said pressure to permit lowering of said inner unit.

2. A cabinet of the character described including an outer casing, aninner unit vertically slidable relatively to said casing, pressureoperated means for raising said inner unit; said pressure operated meansincluding a pressure operated mechanism, means for supplying fluid underpressure to said mechanism, a valve for admitting fluid under pressureto said mechanism for raising said inner unit, a latch for retainingsaid valve in open position during the upward movement of said innerunit, means for operating said latch to permit closing of said valveupon the inner unit reaching its upper position, and a release valve forreleasing pressure from said mechanism to permit lowering of saidinnerunit by gravity.

3. A cabinet of the character described including an outer casing, aninner unit having a plurality of shelves and vertically slidablerelatively to the said casing, pressure operated means for raising saidinner unit and pressure releasing 6 means for permitting said inner unitto be lowered by gravity; said first means including a cylinder having apiston therein operatable by pressure within said cylinder, a valve foradmitting fluid under pressure into said cylinder to cause operation ofsaid piston for raising said inner unit, manually operatable means foroperating said valve, and means for retaining said valve in openposition until said inner unit has reached its upper position and thenautomatically operating to release the retaining means.

4. A cabinet of the character described comprising an outer casing, aninner unit vertically slidable relatively to said casing, and pressureoperated means for raising said inner unit; said means including acylinder having a piston therein, means for supplying fluid underpressure to said cylinder to operate said piston and raise said innerunit, latch means for retaining said inner unit in its raised position,a release valve for releasing pressure from said cylinder, and singlepush button means for operating said latch means and valve to permitlowering of said inner unit.

5. A cabinet of the character described including a casing having aninner unit vertically slidable relatively thereto, pressure operatedmechanism for raising said inner unit; said mechanism including meansfor supplying fluid under pressure thereto, a valve for controlling saidpressure and operatable to cause raising of said inner unit, a valve forreleasing said pressure to permit lowering of said unit by gravity, alatch for retaining said inner unit in its raised position, and singlemanually 'operatable means for operating said latch, to permit loweringof said inner unit, and said release valve to allow the downwardmovement of said unit.

6. In a cabinet of the character described, an outer casing, an innerunit movable in said casing, mechanism for raising said inner unit,manually operatable controlling means for initiating the operation ofsaid mechanism, means for holding said manually operable controllingmeans in operative condition to permit the operation of said mechanismuntil said unit has reached a raised position, and means forautomatically releasing said manually operable controlling means whensaid unit has reached the raised position.

7. A cabinet of the character described including an outer casing, aninner unit, means for raising said inner unit relatively to said casing,said means including a pressure operated mechanism comprising anelectric motor for operating said mechanism, a valve for controlling thepressure, an electric switch for controlling the operation of saidmotor, means operated by a. single push button for operating said valveto permit said pressure to raise said inner unit and said switch toclose an electric circuit to said motor, and means for releasing saidpressure to permit lowering of said inner unit.

8. A cabinet of the character describe-d including an outer casing, aninner unit vertically slidable relatively to said casing, pressureoperated means for raising said inner unit; said pressure operated meansincluding a pressure operated mechanism, means for supplying fluid underpressure to said mechanism, a valve for admitting fluid under pressureto said mechanism for raising said inner unit, a, member connected tosaid unit for retaining said valve in open position during the upwardmovement of said unit, means carried by said unit for operating saidmember to permit closing of said valve upon the inner valve forreleasing pressure from. said ,mechanism to permit lowering of saidunitby gravity.

9. A cabinet 'of the character described including an outer casing, aninner unit having a plurality of shelves and vertically slidablerelatively to the said casing, pressure operated mechanism for raisingsaid inner unit, pressure releasing means for permitting said inner unitto be lowered by gravity, saidmechanism including a valve for admittingfluid under pressure into said mechanism to cause operation thereof forraisingsaid inner unit, and manually operable means for operating saidvalve for initiating the raising operation of said mechanism, an'dmeansactuated by said inner unit upon reaching its raised position to causeoperation of said valve to terminate the raising operation of saidmechanism,

10'. A cabinet of the character described comprising a casing, an innerunit vertically slidable relatively to said casing, pressure operatedmeans for raising said inner unit, latch means for retaining said innerunit in its raised position, said pressure operated means comprising arelease valve for releasing pressure from said raising means forpermitting lowering of said inner unit, and single push button means foroperating said latch means and valve to cause lowering of said innerunit.

11. In a cabinet of the character described, an outer casing, an innerunit movable in said casing, mechanism for raising said inner unit,manually operatable controlling means for initiating the 8 operation ofsaid mechanism, means for holding said manually operable controllingmeans in operative condition to permit the operation of said mechanismuntil said unit has reached a raised position, andmeans actuated by themovement of said inner unit as it reaches its raised position forreleasing said manually operable controlling means and terminating theoperation of said mechanism.

FRANK P. MURPHY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 912,921 Ucker Feb. 26, 1909929,457 Macon July 27, 1909 1,583,971 Hammond May 11, 1926 398,188Rittinger Feb. 19, 1889 1,425,259 Howe Aug. 8, 1922 642,894 Bunker Feb.6, 1900 2,222,685 Raymond Nov. 26, 1940 1,055,567 Stiver Mar, 11, 1913730,046 Price June 2, 1903 1,952,744 Chapman Mar. 27, 1934 399,752Horrocks Mar, 19, 1899 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 433,422France Oct. 26, 1911

